More Than Just an Honorary Cousin
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Marshall and Lily come over for dinner with Ted and Tracey one evening after returning from Italy. Luke and Penny meet their cousins after a long time and young Luke realizes he starts to harbor feelings for Daisy.


**A/N: My first and possibly only How I Met Your Mother fic. I've wanted to make one for the longest time, but wasn't sure how to make it or what to do about it. This is also in a reality where Tracey is still around. I only own OC's if any are used and everyone else belongs to the show obviously. Read & Review, it would be legend, wait for it-**

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><p>"Tracey, did you set the table?" the voice of an aged Ted Moseby called from outside the dining room where his wife of 20 years was, placing down silverware at every open plate.<p>

"Working on it, dear!" Tracey called as she finished and smiled, feeling pleased with herself.

"Well, hurry up, you know how Marshall likes to gobble up his dinner!"

"Yeah, yeah." Tracey shook her head, laughing.

On the couch, there were Ted and Tracey's kids, Luke and Penny. Luke was playing video games on his console while Penny sat there, bored. Luke was about to beat the next level of the game he had been playing for what felt like years, and suddenly the game stopped and the television blacked out.

"HEY!" Luke was outraged.

"Kids, it's time to stop playing games," Ted had pulled the plug on the television. "Your Uncle Marshall, Aunt Lily and cousins will be here any minute."

"Dad, can't you tap my shoulder like a normal person?" Luke was still angry.

"We all tried." Penny smirked.

Luke glared at her, making a fist.

"Go wash up and put on some proper clothes." Ted told his kids.

Luke sighed, going up to his room.

"What's wrong with _my _clothes?" Penny gestured to her usual bright pink blouse, green undershirt, khaki pants, and since she was inside the house, only wearing white socks.

"Change, young lady," Ted gestured upstairs. "Why don't you wear that sweater Grandma knitted for your birthday?"

Penny rolled her eyes, having the near pang of being a pain in the butt to both her parents, especially her father, hang over her head. She then followed her brother upstairs to put on some real clothes.

"Suit up, kids!" Ted called upstairs. "That's what your Uncle Barney used to always say!"

"Ted, must you be so anal with fine dressing?" Tracey came to her husband's side.

"I just want Marshall and Lily to still like us, they've been in Italy almost forever, we never see them anymore..." Ted looked back down to her.

"You're working yourself too hard, Moseby," Tracey teased her husband with a smirk as she nearly buried her face against his chest. "Promise me you won't tell stories?"

"What?" Ted backed out a little, taken literally aback. "My stories? What's wrong with my stories?"

"No offense, Ted, but your stories tend to drag on for a long time..." Tracey had an amused smirk.

"Stop exaggerating." Ted chuckled.

"I will when you won't." Tracey giggled back.

The doorbell then rang.

"That must be them, I'm gonna get the roast, you get the door." Tracey said, rushing to the kitchen.

Ted nodded, then walked to the front door of his house and smiled as he saw two familiar faces. "Marshall, Lily!"

"Oh, gosh, it's you!" Lily sounded happy as ever.

Ted laughed, seeing his best friends since college. "Marshall, you remember me, right?"

"Ted's father?" Marshall greeted, taking a wild guess.

Ted pulled an annoyed face.

"Just kidding," Marshall laughed. "Hey, Ted."

Ted then laughed, hugging him with a smile and looked over to see a tall and lanky boy. "Hey, Marvin!"

"Hey, Uncle Ted!" Marvin rushed over, hugging his slightly shorter honorary uncle.

"Hi, guys!" Tracey came over, smiling. "I hope you're hungry."

"Well, I know Marshmallow is." Lily giggled to her husband.

"I made my famous rump roast." Tracey beamed.

"I know Ted loves your rump roast." Marshall joked.

"He likes big rump roasts and he cannot lie." Lily added, joking.

They all laughed while Ted turned a little red in embarrassment.

"Daisy, come out here!" Lily turned to the door, then sighed, looking back at them. "I'm sorry, Daisy's a little shy..."

"So, where's the other member of the Eriksen 5?" Ted asked, putting an arm around Tracey.

"She's at home with my dad," Lily sighed. "She doesn't like travel so far."

"Penny was the same way a little, she was fussy when my water broke with Luke and we took her to the hospital." Tracey understood.

"Hey, kids!" Marshall saw Ted's children.

Lily smiled, then looked back out. "DAISY!"

"I'm coming!" a struggled voice called back.

"Sorry..." Lily sighed to Ted and Tracey.

"It's okay... Probably just homesick too." Ted shrugged.

Finally, there came a young red-headed girl who was actually pretty short.

"Daisy, there you are... What's with you?" Lily asked her daughter.

"Sorry, Mom... I just... I'm worried about meeting everyone..." Daisy's eyes were down at the floor.

"Hey, don't worry, we all had to meet someone new once, that's how we all got together," Lily soothed her. "Your Uncle Ted and Aunt Tracey, your father and I... Don't worry about it, sweetie. Remember, Mom and Dad love you very much."

Daisy sighed. "Okay..."

"Be nice to your cousins too." Lily added, allowing her to go and meet the kids. "I'm going to talk with the grown-ups a bit."

"Okay..." Daisy walked off. She saw her father and brother having fun with Luke and Penny. She wasn't sure what to say or do and just nearly stood in the background. She felt invisible and might as well had been.

"There's my special girl!" Marshall put his arm around his fragile daughter. "Luke, Penny, you remember Daisy."

"Hey, Daisy!" Penny greeted friendly.

Marvin smiled at his sister. Luke seemed to have been lost for words when he saw Daisy in person again. He hadn't seen her in almost forever. Daisy looked very beautiful, even if she was delicate as an actual flower for her namesake like Marvin's other sister or their mother.

"Luke, don't stare, it's rude." Penny nudged her brother.

"Oh, s-s-sorry..." Luke nearly stuttered, turning bright pink in his cheeks.

"Come and get it!" Tracey called from the kitchen.

"Oh, boy, food!" Marvin jeered, going with the others.

Daisy blinked to Luke, then walked off with the others.

"Daisy..." Luke struggled to say her name as she was gone and he was alone for a moment.


End file.
